


Haunted By a Memory (Title WIP)

by AgentGreyNevada



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Alternate Universe, Anxiety Attacks, F/M, New Beginnings, Original Female Character - Freeform, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Project Freelancer, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow To Update, Starting Over, Work In Progress, chorus, if the events on chorus were slightly different, unsc outpost
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-09
Updated: 2019-02-11
Packaged: 2019-10-24 21:09:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17711630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgentGreyNevada/pseuds/AgentGreyNevada
Summary: Set in an alternate universe where Felix/Locus are actually apart of the Federal Army and Chorus isn't a mess, we meet a freelancer agent who whilst trying to start anew on Chorus is soon haunted by vicious memories of her past.





	1. Arrival

**Author's Note:**

> Like the summary states, this story takes place in an AU where Felix and Locus are not necessarily mercenaries but work under Kimball for the UNSC. Also, Chorus isn't totally destroyed and is actually thriving #LoveThatForThem

I had momentary amnesia upon crashing on the vastly diverse climate of Chorus.

A harsh ringing was heard in my ears and my vision blurred. The escape capsule sustained most of the damage from atmospheric entry and the landing into a decent sized sand dune. I had worn my armor in case of complications.

"Alpha, status report." I commanded, stepping out of the spacecraft and observing the rather bleak and dry surroundings.

An AI fizzled into existence to my right, tinted in a calming shade of light blue. "Not a lot to report on. The ship is well...destroyed." Both myself and the AI turned around to admire the partially flaming escape pod.

"I can see that." I muttered, turning back around to the horizon. Desert stretched out for miles, meeting the skyline at every angle. "Tell me something I don't know."

"There's a scrap yard about 5 kilometers south. Seems abandoned, but that won't get you anywhere close to food or water." The AI - Alpha - replied, gesturing to my right.

"How long will my life support system last me?" I asked, scanning for the info in my chipped HUD display.

"For a decent amount of time, but you're gonna want to find life essentials sooner rather than later." Alpha spoke with a hint of urgency in his voice. "By the time it takes you to get the scrap yard, you'll be down to 20% on water and 31% on food."

"Kay. We'll scan as we go."

~~~~~

It didn't take long for us to reach the scrap yard. I managed to keep my reserves from depleting as quickly as Alpha calculated by not over-exerting myself. I could've gotten there faster if I had wanted to - but my life was on the line.

"Well...this is some scrap yard." I gazed over the sand 'cliff' and into the jungle of metal, wires and electronics. Alpha appeared next to me, him stroking his armor-clad chin as if he had a beard.

"Welp...yeah. Not as impressive as it looked while descending." He commented, analyzing the yard for its contents. "You're in luck, there might be super glue down there for your helmet!"

I rolled my eyes under my visor and unclipped it, taking it off. Alpha sparked, his voice becoming distorted. "Alpha?" My voice turned hoarse as I reached back to feel my implant.

It was out of alignment.

"Fuck-" I grunted, ripping off the gloves and kneeling into the sand. I stashed the armored gloves into the turned over helmet and with steady hands, and removed the AI component from the neural implant. I felt the static drain from my head as I examined the damage to the piece of technology.

 _Damn, wires were shredded,_ I thought, gently feeling the frayed wires in my hand. Alpha was still in there...just inaccessible.

"Great, just great..." I muttered, picking up my gear and standing up. A dry, desert breeze swept past, blowing gently against my sweat drenched cheeks and forehead. I sighed, pulling out my gloves to put the partially working helmet back on. The HUD showed a fuzzy display as I scanned the immediate area and skyline. It zoomed in on-

"A monorail." I vocalized my thought while observing its direction of travel. It was off in the distance but not by much. A noise was heard off to the right, and a train zoomed on the track. The HUD tracked its speed, saying it wasn't going incredibly fast. My mind ticked. 

"It could work..." I quickly replaced my gloves, pocketed the implant in a safe pouch on my armor and hastily worked my way to the monorail system. 

~~~~~

I clung to the back of the monorail car with a firm grip. The wind whipped by as the train perused high over the sandy landscape of Chorus and - hopefully - into a town. Somewhere with food. That's all I wanted. 

The HUD beeped, alerting me of no movement in the back car where I was currently hanging onto. I jiggled the back door open and climbed inside, grateful to be out of the wind. I took off my helmet and paced my breathing. 

_Now just to figure out where we're headed._

~~~~~

The train started to slow to a stop as a walled city came into view.  _This must be Armonia,_ I thought, recalling the countless hours of research Alpha and I did about Chorus. The hustle of the city was something I always wanted to experience. But this time, as a civilian. 

The train entered an indoor docking station as it hissed to a stop. The doors opened with citizens climbing out of the transit cars and onto the platform. I disembarked from the last car and with my helmet in hand, gazed at the terminal signs. Some signs welcomed people to Chorus's capital city of Armonia, others gave directions of when the next train was scheduled to leave others were - 

"Excuse me, soldier." My admiring of the grand screens was cut off by an articulate voice of a police guard, dawning armor similar to mine. 

"Yes, officer?" I responded, facing the cop full on. A second cop appeared behind the first, his head swiveling around as people whizzed by. 

"You don't show up in our database." The officer said with suspicion. I could tell his eyebrow was cocked by his voice shift. "Are you new to Chorus?" 

"Yes, actually, I am." I boldly answered, standing up straighter. "I'm unfamiliar with the Customs routine here so I apologize-"

"No need, ma'am. Please come with us and we'll get you situated."

~~~~~

After about twenty minutes of essentially the police officers asking dating profile-esque questions, I was officially a citizen on Chorus. Or at least an 'OK' for me to walk around without further harassment. 

"Okay, Miss Nevada, here is your new ID card and we appreciate you understanding our customs rules." The first officer handed me the card as I stood up. 

"Yes uh, no problem Officer." I nodded, exiting the Customs office as smoothly as I could.  _Don't worry, Church, we'll get you fixed soon. I know who can help._


	2. Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Armonia is much more built up in this AU than in the actual universe.

I stepped out of the transit station and was smacked in the face with sensory overload. 

People rushed by, both soldiers and regular citizens alike; vehicles hummed along on the wide city streets; LED billboards lined the upper stories of buildings; my brain was trying to process it all. It was...magnificent. 

I breathed. It felt good to take in natural air and not artificial, recycled air from the Mother of Invention. I felt fresh and new. 

I turned to the right and darted for the nearest "City Directory" sign that sat at the corner of the intersection. I perused through the holographic map, getting a bearing of my surroundings and nearby locations of interest. I found what I was looking for. 

 _I'm gonna fix you, Church,_ I thought while patting one of the pockets on my chest where the implant was carefully stowed away. I began walking east, away from the transit station and to the heart of the city. I obeyed traffic laws by not jumping out into oncoming traffic whereas a lot of other citizens did. They didn't seem to be bothered by the cars speeding towards them at 30 miles an hour. 

After about five minutes of walking and stopping for intersections and passing numerous shops and restaurants, I finally came to my destination: a tech store. I ducked inside, helmet in my hands. 

The glass door shut behind me and it drowned out the inner city sounds and my ears were treated to some quiet. I let out a sigh of content, looking around at the TV monitors, computer towers and various gadgets that lined the walls and tables of the small shop. I bee lined it for the back counter where a register sat, but no one was there. I furrowed my brow, searching the counter for anything of use.  _Ah, a bell,_ I noted and touched the top, the bell then producing a high pitched ring. Footsteps came from the back area and came close to the opened doorway behind the counter. 

"Hello, sorry about that..." A man's voice spoke as he came around the corner of the doorway. "How may I...Grey?" The man stopped in his tracks as he passed through the door. His blue eyes gazed over me and he gave a stuttered breath. "Grey...is that really you?" 

I tried to not appear extremely excited about seeing Agent North again, but honestly, it was comforting to know someone in this vast city. 

"Yeah North, it's Grey." I cracked a huge smile as he barreled around the counter and took me in for a massive reunion hug. I haven't seen the guy in a year or two. "I knew you were here so I wanted to visit." I croaked out, him nearly crushing me with his embrace. 

"I'm so glad you did." North replied, letting go of me. He placed firm hands on my armored shoulders and took a few looks at me. "Did you...get taller?" He snorted. 

"Um...no, unfortunately not..." I rolled my eyes. It was a running gag among the freelancers about how short I was. "But I'm not  _that_ short...I'm only 5'4"..." 

"That's still short, Grey." He patted my shoulders while chuckling. "Even Lina was taller than you." 

"And???" I sputtered, flailing my arms out to the side. "That has nothing to do with anything!"

"I suppose..." North snickered and looked down, and then back to my eyes. "So what brings you to Chorus? Vacation or a mission?"

"Vacation." I said bluntly. "Um, I needed some time off." 

North clicked his tongue and nodded. "Reasonable. The Director can definitely put strain on you after a while. Trust me, I dealt with him too." 

"I know...but you got to leave much sooner than myself." I shrugged. 

"Well it's because you were still in your prime. York, Wash and I got old. Our bodies can't take the physical demand anymore. So..." North gestured to his shop. "I came to Chorus to settle down. Got a Bachelor Pad upstairs." 

I snorted. "Wait a minute," I raised my finger. "Agent North Dakota needs help with the ladies?" 

He rocked his head side to side in response and hummed. "Not really but... 'Bachelor Pad' has a nice sound to it." He chuckled to himself. "But uh...I'm assuming you came here more than just to chat." North knew me too well. 

"Yeah..." I dug into my chest pocket and pulled out the implant. His eyes immediately glowed upon seeing it. 

"You pulled him?" North asked in almost shock. I reacted defensively. 

"N-no! Of course not!" I passed over the implant to North's steady sniper hands. "I uh..."  _Quick Grey, think of a fib._ "I crashed here, took my helmet off and some of his wires were shredded."  _Wow, good job fibbing, dumbass._

North eyed me and returned his attention to the AI implant. "Huh. Easy fix." He walked behind the counter and pulled out a small box. He deposited the device into it, the padding on the interior of the box protecting it from further damage. "Should only take me a couple of hours, but I'll have to do it after work hours." 

"To ensure no one sees it?" 

"Exactly." North and I always got complimented on how often are train of thoughts aligned. 

I nodded. "So um..." My stomach asked the question. I winced. Hunger pains have began. 

"Wow, Agent Nevada is  _hungry_?" North gave wide eyes. "That's...unheard of before!" 

I lightly slapped his shoulder from over the counter. "Shut up North, I haven't eaten since I got here." My stomach growled again in response. 

"My apartment is upstairs..." He rooted through his jean pocket and pulled out a set of keys. "Room 505. Go in, help yourself, make yourself at home. Oh and, feel free to get out of that suit. I have spare clothes in my dresser." 

I took the keys and nodded. "Thanks North. I really appreciate it." 

~~~~~

A few hours had passed and I was sprawled out on the couch in oversized sweatpants and a hoodie with a full belly of food and a glass of water on the coffee table. The food I found in North's fridge was better than anything the Mother of Invention ever served. I was in a food coma, flipping through channels on the flatscreen TV that hung against the apartment wall. I was mere moments away from passing out. 

The door lock clicked open and I went from being sleepy as fuck to ready to take down 10 armed guards. I bolted to my feet as North pushed open the door, carrying a medium sized box in his hand. 

"Geez, you scared me..." I slumped back down to the couch as North shut the door behind him. I heard him tisk me under his breath. 

"Guess you still got them freelancer reflexes, eh?" North commented while walking over to the small dining room table. I sighed, turning my attention back to some old reality TV show. I really did miss having actual downtime. 

"I suppose." I muttered, glancing my eyes to my right to look out the wall of windows. Across the way were more apartment high rises and you could faintly hear the traffic from the street below. It was soothing to say the least. 

North began unpacking the contents of the metallic box and onto the dining table. I paid no mind to it as I felt myself beginning to doze off. 

"Grey." North called to me. I jolted back up and with wide eyes, and turned around to address North. "Wanna watch?" He held up the AI implant in his hand. I hurdled over the couch, grabbing a plush blanket as I did and waddled over to the table with a yawn. North pitied me. "You look awful." He commented with a smirk. I rolled my eyes playfully. 

"You look like shit yourself." I teased back, taking a seat at the table as he stood across from me. He chuckled under his breath as he pulled out some new wires from his box. 

"If you wanna go nap, just go into my room." He gestured with his head to the bedroom next to the TV screen. "I'll come get you when I'm done." 

~~~~~

I don't remember passing out from exhaustion or even going to North's room. All I remembered was a faint voice coaxing me to wake up.

"Hey uh...miss..." I heard. I burrowed my head into the pillow, refusing to act like an adult. "Um...North wants you." 

I stopped groaning and my ears perked up.  _If this isn't North, then..._ I peered my eyes out from underneath the hood and saw- 

"Theta..." I cooed, sitting up. The pink and purple AI hovered over my bed, his foot fidgeting. I stretched my arms up, some of my joints cracking. "Wow, I'm old." 

"You still look pretty though..." Theta's voice grew less worried as soon as he saw my face. "No wonder all the guys liked you." 

I chuckled. "Nah Theta, I'm not that cute." I downplayed, holding out my hand for the AI to rest on. He stepped onto it and giggled. "North wants me?" 

"Yeah, um, he finished the work for you." Theta relayed the message as I stood. I stretched onto my tippy-toes and grunted, soon making my way out of the bedroom and back into the common area. 

"Hey, sleepy head." North welcomed as Theta appeared next to him. "Thanks buddy, you can go back to skateboarding now." 

"Yes!" The AI quietly rejoiced and soon vanished. North turned his attention to the fixed implant and held it up for me to view. 

"Told you, simple and easy fix." North mentioned again as I examined his work. The wires were new and the metal was polished. My eyes glistened as I pulled my hair up to plug him back in. It snapped into place and-

"GREY! OHMYGOD YOU'RE OKAY!" Alpha's hologram came to life in between North and myself. He breathed a deep sigh of relief. "Thank god...I was really worried there..."

"Don't worry, Alpha. I'm fine." I smiled, comforting the disoriented AI. "Agent North patched you back up."

"Agent...patched...what?" 

I took a breath. "When I took my helmet off in the desert, it-"

"Wires were shredded due to impact, Agent North lived in Armonia so you got help- don't worry I went into your memories. I'm all caught up now." Alpha swiveled his head to gaze at North. "Sup." 

I rolled my eyes with a smirk. Alpha sure did act like a teenage boy at times. "Hey, I heard that." 

"So you still have Theta?" I asked out of curiosity.

"Yeah, The Counselor let me keep him since we developed a really close bond and...he would've been devastated if we were separated." I heard North's voice drop. I nodded in approval. 

"Smart on their end." I commented, leaning my arms against the frame of a wooden chair. "I just took Alpha with me." 

North was about to ask a question as the door clicked open again. I was startled, not prepared to see-

"York?!" I practically shouted as the brunette ex-freelancer came through the door with two bags of groceries. He nearly dropped the bags upon seeing me. 

"Shit, it's Vada!" North grabbed the bags from York's hands before he tackled me for a hug. He ran his fingers through my messy hair and almost started to cry.  _'Wow, never seen him emotional,'_ Church commented in my head. 

"Hey York...long time no see, eh?" My voice was smothered by his faded yellow sweatshirt as he rocked me back and forth. North and York both treated me like a younger sibling, especially when I went through the Freelancer Project's version of Basic. 

"Damn, it's been what, a year?" He released me from his comforting embrace and gazed at me. "Still short though." 

"Fuck you too, York." I snarked back while crossing my arms. North chuckled from the kitchen. "Shut up, North." 

"Hey, my apartment, my rules." He replied while sorting out the groceries. York joined him in his efforts. 

"So uh, what brings you to Chorus, Grey?" York asked, putting away fresh veggies into the stainless steel fridge. 

"Vacation." I simply stated with a shrug. York appeared skeptical. 

"Uh huh." He teased. "And we didn't even get a warning. God damn Vada, where are your manners..." He tisked and came over to ruffle my hair. "Girl, you need to shower."

I rolled my eyes. "I know that..." I felt my hair.  _Yikes, he's right._ "Um...can I shower?" 

"PLEASE." York begged as North socked him in the bicep. 

"Yeah, use whatever shampoo and conditioner that's in there." North offered. I hummed to myself and skipped off to the shower. 

~~~~~

I emerged from North's bedroom with a towel wrapped around my head and back into the borrowed comfy clothes. York was watching a movie on the couch while North made clanking noises in the kitchen. 

"'Bout time you got out." York snickered playfully. "D and I - well, more or less D - was trying to calculate how long it would take you." 

Delta, York's AI, appeared next to me. "I calculated to be five minutes and two seconds. You took...much longer than predicted given your times while on the Mother of Invention." 

"Nice to see you too, Delta." I smiled and chuckled under my breath. 

"Hey Vada, have you seen the balcony yet?" York got up from his relax position on the couch and guided me with his hand holding my toned bicep over to the sliding glass door. "It's pretty nifty." He unlatched the lock and slid the door open, letting me go out first. 

The fresh air hit me like a gentle ocean wave. The noise of cars died down to nearly nothing. And then I noticed; there were no cars on the streets.

"Where are the..." 

"On Friday and Saturday nights, Armonia has a "no car" policy while in the inner streets of the city. It's to promote foot traffic and a casual stroll through the city. Since they changed the policy, accidents have been reduced. The only cars allowed are emergency and military vehicles." 

"Military?" My ears perked up. "Like...UNSC military?"

"Basically, but it's Chorus's own military." York explained, joining me at the balcony's railing. "One of the facility's is out beyond city limits. That's where they train soldiers and the police force." York shifted his gaze to me. "You...wanna go there?" 

"I...I have no other talents, York." I was blunt. "The only thing I'm good at is fighting and killing. Maybe...maybe I can be a trainer over there or something. I dunno." I shrugged, the idea seeming dumb. 

York shook his head. "Well, for one, you don't know if you're talented in anything else because fighting is all you know. It's what you've trained to do for the past 7-8 years." I nodded along to his argument. "Second, I bet you could get a position there. I bet they wouldn't mind having a woman martial artist for once..." 

"Is it because I'm female?" I rolled my eyes. 

"No, not like that." York defended his argument. "All they've hired are men. A female might be good on the roster, ya know?" 

"Hey." North poked his head out the door. "Food's done." 

~~~~~

"I think I wanna go to a bar." I stated as North and York both sat down at the dining table. They both looked at me like I was crazy. 

"Have you...ever drank before?" North questioned with a worried eye. 

I nodded. "You were both there for my 21st birthday, remember?" I scanned their reactions. "Maybe you  _don't_ remember..." 

"Vaguely." York scratched the stubble under his chin and then shifted his eyes to look at North. He shrugged. 

"I mean, you're an adult, you can probably harpoon any guy who tries to make a move on you..." North folded his hands. "Just...maybe don't dress so casual?" 

"Got anything nice?" 

~~~~~ 

Five minutes later I was out the door in a men's dark purple flannel with mustard yellow skinny jeans with a wallet full of credits. They definitely came in clutch. 


	3. Bar

Using Alpha and my decent sense of direction, I found my way to a reputable bar and grill North and York had recommended me to visit. 

It was just a few blocks down and close to the transit station. I had passed it on my way to North's tech shop but didn't give it any attention. It was charming with a rather rustic exterior of brick overlay, black framing and a metal carved sign. On my walk I noticed how quiet it was. Sure, people were out and about but it was unusual not hearing the sound of cars on the streets. It was indeed peaceful.

I ducked inside The Tavern and immediately went for the farthest bar stool away from the door. I sat down and showed the barista my newly created Chorus ID to show my date of birth. She gave a soft smile and started me off with water on the rocks. 'Wow, at a bar and drinking water. Good job dumbass!'  I gave Church an eye roll via thought and looked around at the interior. The place was rather small but had a staircase leading upstairs, presumably to more seating areas. The lights on the walls provided a warm glow against the dark wood floor and sand colored walls. The barista gently slid me a menu but told me to take my time. I thanked her for her kindness and began perusing the phone North gave to me for the night. It was an old iPhone that someone brought in to his shop to trade in. Surprisingly it was still in decent condition, and North let me use it for the evening in case anything went wrong. 'Wow he's such a dad.' 

"Excuse me, miss." The barista came over once more and leaned over the counter. "The gentleman at the center of the bar would like to buy you a drink." Her eyes darted to the left and I covertly followed her gaze to a slender man in a nice suit and orange tie. His gaze met ours and he nodded his head in recognition. I turned back to the barista. 

"Tell him I'm staying sober for the night, thank you." I said, smiling to myself. She mutually agreed with my decision via her eye contact and strutted over to the gentleman with the news. I proceeded to continue looking down at the phone in my hand, messing around with the features. 

'Vada, you got company.' 

I looked up at Church's recommendation and-

"Well well, who comes to a bar but not to drink?" The man who was 20 feet away was now inviting himself to a conversation. I heard him snicker under his breath as he readjusted into the bar stool next to mine. "What a shame. Good thing the food here is on par." 

"I've been told." I replied dryly, gazing over the menu left by the barista. I wasn't in much of a mood to talk to men at bars. 'Vada come on, you're trying to be a civilian for once. Lighten up and have some fun. Please. I'm bored as fuck in here.' Perhaps Church was right. 

"So what brings a pretty lady like you into Armonia?" The lanky man tried buttering me up as he snickered. "I know most faces of Armonia and yours isn't one of them." 

"Off planet vacation." I half fibbed while my eyes perused the entrees area of the short menu. "Well. Not really vacation. But I moved here." 

"Well, let me rephrase my question: what brings a pretty lady like you to move to Chorus?" I had to admit I chuckled at that retort. He snickered alongside of me and drank from his short glass of alcohol. 

"I...wanted to start fresh." I came clean, my eyes gazing up at the top of the wine rack that was against the wall. "I was sick of doing missions and now I wanna...you know, settle down and not worry if I'm going to die everyday." 

"Oh, so ex-military," The gentleman stirred his drink by slightly rotating his wrist. "UNSC, I assume?" 

"Yeah, boy was that a trip..." I leaned forward, my hands rubbing my eyes as a vivid image came to mind of Project Freelancer. Church was able to suppress the memory as soon as it came; it wasn't even that strong of a recollection. "Seven years of service and I have all the scars to prove it." 

"Seven years? Damn you're a young one." He flashed a crooked smile while finishing off his drink. "Where does that put you, 24? 25?" 

"Close enough." I shrugged with a slight smile. 

"You'll never guess  _my_ age," He snickered once more as the barista came over to replenish his empty glass of rum. "I'll give you a hint; it's older than what you'd think." 

"55?" I heard Church bust a gut in the back of my brain at that one. The man rolled his eyes and produced a low chuckle. 

"Okay, not  _that_ old." 

"Let's see..." I gazed gently at his facial features; his eyes were bright and snarky, his smile was brilliant with a hint of mischief, his hair was buzzed with geometric patterns and a strip of hair was on top, neatly combed back, his ears riddled with ear holes, some filled with piercings, and his skin was clean of blemishes and marks. He was  _attractive_. 

'Grey stop ogling him please, it's kinda gross.'

"I'm flattered by how long you're staring." He cracked another smile and took a sip from his drink. I chuckled in response, finally coming to my guess. 

"I...I'd like to believe you're either 29 or 30. Obviously still edgy given the piercings and hair style..." His hand recoiled to run his fingers through his light brown hair, his face twisted with hurt. 

"Oh sweetheart, I wish I could be that age again." His lip curled. "I'm actually 34." 

'Oh my fucking god he's the male version of a MILF.' I shushed Church in the back of my head as I tried to contain a smile from his comment. 

"Oh shit, if I didn't use my amazing powers of observation, I would've guessed 24." I replied half sarcastically. We both chuckled at that as I gazed back down at the menu, finally coming to a decision. 

"I'll buy." The man grabbed the menu out from under my arm and perused it. "Wanna split the appetizer platter?" 

"Only if you tell me your name." I proposed. 

He snickered behind the menu. "Heh wow, if that's all I have to say to get women to talk to me than that should've been my pickup line." His eyes peered over the edge of the menu, then moving it completely out of the way of his face. "It's Felix, sweetheart." 

~~~~~

Felix and I spent the last two hours indulged in pleasant conversation while sharing appetizers. He talked about his time in The Great War, I talked about what I did for the UNSC (with Church highkey reminding me not to talk about Project Freelancer), and we shared hilarious childhood stories. 

"Are you sure you don't want a drink? It'll be on me." Felix pestered once more after chowing down on a boneless wing. I clicked my tongue in thought. 

"...fine. Glass of red wine." I finally caved in, giving him my preferred beverage. Felix snickered in success and called the barista over to place the order. I smiled and my cheeks flushed with a slight hint of red. 'Oh my god  _why_ are you blushing?' 

 _'Because he's cute, shut up.'_ I retorted to the AI as Felix turned his attention back to me. 

"So, what's your plan?" He asked, stealing a mozzarella stick from the platter. 

"Hopefully finding a job to train soldiers in martial arts." I nodded to myself, affirming my new personal goal. "I still want to train and be in good shape but, not on risky missions anymore." 

"Heh, maybe you'll change your mind." He bit down on the mozzarella stick and cheese strung out. 'Heh, remind you of anything?' 

 _'Shut. Up. Alpha.'_ I bit back a laugh and a flush of redness to my cheeks at the lewd comment the AI made. 

"Perhaps," I sighed as the barista came back with a glass of red wine. Felix moved it towards me. 

"Drink up, sweetheart." He winked at me while finishing the greasy stick of deep fried cheese. 

"What, so you can take my not-drunk ass home?" I retorted, picking up the delicate glass. He shook his head with a suppressed laugh. 

"No, but because people are  _so_ much more interesting when they have a buzz." Felix admitted with a smirk and longing gaze in his eyes. 

"Well, sorry to be a disappointment, but I don't get drunk that easily." I held the glass up to my nose and sniffed. Some of the agents back on the MOI taught me how to drink and how to  _not_ get drunk super easily. 

"Well...at least let me think you're buzzed." He winked once more and gazed down at his pager which now rested on the counter. I took a sip of the wine and  _holy shit_ was it good. It had also been a long time since I was freely allowed to drink alcohol. 

"Damn, this is some good wine." I blinked a few times, swirling the red liquid inside the glass. Felix batted his eyes and smirked happily. 

"Aren't ya glad I convinced you?" He teased, lightly tapping my bicep. I laughed, taking another sip of the wine. 

"Unfortunately, yes, I am." I admitted, placing the glass down and rested my bruised hand on the counter. Felix's eye wandered to it and took it in his delicate grasp. 

"Definitely a martial artist." He noted, tracing each knuckle gently with his thumb. His gaze flickered up to me as he released my hand. "Ever heard of using gloves?" 

I snorted and Alpha released a cackle. "Yeah, but...not my style." I looked at my cracked hands and stretched my fingers. Felix flicked out his arm to check his watch. He gave a low whistle. 

"Damn, it's getting late. I have to report at 0600 hours." He was about to get up from the stool and realized- "Say, I'll walk you home. Not saying Armonia isn't safe but...it's dark and being lost in a massive city and not knowing anyone is not fun." 

"Are you speaking from experience?" I finished the glass of wine and climbed out of the bar stool, finally seeing Felix's full height compared to mine. He wasn't that much taller; probably only by five inches and he was also wearing shoes with a slight heel to them. 'Fucking compensating much?' 

"Pfft nah. Just stories I've been told in the barracks." He grabbed his suit jacket from the counter, slipped it on and clipped his pager back onto his leather belt. I couldn't help but stare. 'Seriously you need to stop this.' 

"Don't believe you but okay." I retorted, grabbing the little belongings I had and followed Felix out of the restaurant after he left money for the check and a generous tip. The cool night air settled in around us as we began the few block trek back to North's "Bachelor Pad". People passed us, probably heading to the local clubs and late night bars and I stayed close to Felix. He didn't go as far as putting an arm around me, but he placed a hand at the center of my back when people got close. 

"Here it is," I finally said after being quiet the entire walk back. Felix didn't seem to mind as he turned to face me. He gazed at the entrance to the Tech Shop and the entrance to the upstairs apartments to the left of it. 

"I assume you're with friends?" He asked in a half concerned tone. I viciously nodded my head. "Good. It was really nice chatting with you tonight, Miss Grey." He took one of my beat up hands in his before turning around to walk away. He stopped in his turn and swiveled back around. "0900 hours, edge of town, wear your armor. There's an outpost there, ask for me. I'm gonna get you a job." And with that, the suave gentleman disappeared into the night. 


	4. Interview

After Felix had left me to my own devices, I scurried upstairs so Church and I could have a good gossip session. I sprawled out on the couch as my temporary bed, and chatted quietly with the AI in the dimly lit living room. North had lit a few candles for me. He knew I loved the smell of scented candles. 

At some point, York ventured out of his bedroom for a glass of water. He rarely spoke to me, for as he was practically a zombie when he wakes up in the middle of the night. He eventually trudged back to his room for the night, glass in hand. I took it as my cue to finally settle down and get some sleep. 

 

* * *

 

Sleep eluded me. 

The events of the day were in a constant loop inside my brain; crashing on Chorus, becoming a citizen, reuniting with not only North but Theta, Delta and York, and meeting a guy who can get me a job. 

'I don't trust the guy.' Alpha piped up from the back of my brain.   
  
_'I suppose, but he was really helpful and friendly...'_

'Don't think with your heart. Don't fall in love with the first guy you meet while on a new planet, Grey.'

_'I dated David for a while, don't you remember?'_

'Yeah, "dated", whatever that was in Project Freelancer...'

I rolled my eyes and tossed on the couch, cocooning myself in the blanket North loaned me. I just wanted sleep. 

 

* * *

 

Alpha served as my alarm clock and woke me at 7am sharp. I groaned, the sunlight shining through the blinds and blanketing me in lines of yellow light. I reached my arms up to stretch and I lurched forward, cracking my knuckles. 

"Well, you're up early." North beckoned from the kitchen area, dressed in a thick red flannel and jeans. The smell of a dark roast pot of coffee soon filled the area. "Figured you'd sleep till 11, no more Freelancer report ti-"

"I met someone who can give me a job." I said, cutting off North's train of thought. He glanced back, his eyes wide, but then settled into a softer gaze.   
  
"Good, I'm happy for you." North replied with a gentle smile as Theta appeared next to me. 

"You're not leaving forever, are you?" The timid AI asked. I could practically hear him pouting through his helmet. I chuckled softly and held out my hand for Theta to stand on. 

"No buddy, I'll still be in town, just not in North's...bachelor pad...or whatever he calls it." I gave North a side eye glare. 

"Like I said, it has a nice ring to it." He defended from the dining room table. 

"Okay...just come back and visit, okay?" Theta vaporized and soon after Alpha appeared next to me. 

"Better get up, missy. You don't want to be late." 

 

* * *

 

After an hour had passed of showering, putting on my undersuit and Alpha pestering me about how to not give away my status of being an ex-freelancer, North sat me down at the table and pulled out a plate full of goodies. 

"Eat up, buttercup." He sang while taking a seat across from me. I stared down at the plate of eggs, bacon and potatoes. I missed real food. 

"Don't call me that ever again." I gave a playful glance as York's bedroom door opened to reveal a very sleepy York with Delta at his side. 

"...your sleep patterns suggest more than Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, might I suggest - Oh, good morning Agents North and Nevada." Delta greeted with a nod to each of us. 

"Not sleeping, York?" North asked, sipping at his mug of hot coffee. York yawned, sliding into the seat next to me with a nod. North released a sorrowful sigh. "I've told you to go get it checked out. Delta can only do so much." 

"I know, I know..." York rubbed his good eye. "I just hate doctors. D, sign off for the moment." 

"As you wish, Agent York." The green hologram flickered out of existence as Theta appeared. 

"Hi York!" The AI jumped up and down which managed to make York crack a slight smile. "We should hang out today!" 

"Nah kid, I gotta go to work..." York's smile faded when he mentioned his 'adult responsibilities.' Theta stopped jumping and sulked. 

"Theta, it's okay." North beckoned to the AI. "You can always hang out with him after work." North held out his palm and Theta stepped onto it, soon disappearing. Both men turned to address me. "So, who's gonna get you a job?"

I stopped mid bite of some potatoes. "Um...a guy named Felix. Says he works for the outpost outside of town." 

"Ah, Captain Felix. Good man." North affirmed, York nodding along. "Just...be safe, okay? It's not that easy to adjust to civilian life after Freelancer. It's harder than it seems."

"For real. We can't disclose anything to anyone. I can't talk to a therapist about anything..." York's voice trailed. The transition was obviously taking a toll on him, even though he's been officially out of the program for a year. 

"Understood. I'll be fine." I swatted with my fork and dug into the scrambled eggs on my plate.  _'Yes Church, I'll be fine.'_

 

* * *

 

It was 8:45am and I stood outside the patrolled gate to the facility. The compound was lined by a thick, barbed wire fence with guard towers posted every 100 or so feet. Church did a quick scan to determine potential dangers. 'Besides for the normal amount of ammo and angsty teens with guns, it's fairly safe. No immediate threats.' He spoke as a guard approached my position. 

"How can we help you?" The recruit spoke through his helmet comms. I cleared my throat, my helmet held in my hands. 

"I have a meeting with Felix, sir." I responded in a firm tone. The soldier nodded and reported to his commander. He grunted and the gate to the compound opened behind him. 

"Right this way ma'am, I'm Bitters, and I'm your escort."

 

* * *

 

After they stripped and searched myself and my armor, I sat in a war room with a long conference table and chairs. The room was dimly lit with a window that overlooked the training floor. It was tinted so the trainees couldn't see if they were being observed. The door to the war room opened and two armored men came in; one with green accents and one with orange accents. 

"Miss Grey?" The man in green spoke. His voice was deep and rich, like velvet. I stood up and nodded in confirmation, no longer being able to say I outrank both gentleman. The two soldiers came to the table and disposed of their helmets. The man in orange-

"Hello Grey, nice to see you again," Felix spoke while taking off his scout helmet. I gave a smile and a slight blush, happy to see him. The man in green placed his helmet in front of him to reveal long, black locks of hair tied into a bun. 

"Felix told me all about you." The man in green spoke. "That you worked for the UNSC and you permanently relocated here, is that correct?" He raised an eyebrow. 

"Yes sir." I simply stated. 

"Hmm." His face turned slightly towards Felix's. "What would you be interested in doing?" 

"Anything really, sir." I began. "I specialized in hand-to-hand combat across all styles along with weaponry. I'd love to train your rookies." 

The man in green then turned to his partner again. 

"Could you...demonstrate?" 

"Absolutely." 

 

* * *

 

 

Minutes later, I was stripped out of my armor and into some borrowed clothes; a tank top and shorts. I walked onto the training room mat as the trainees took seats off to the side. I jumped up and down on my bare feet, getting a feeling for the resistance with the floor.  _Soft, but not too soft. Good for balance._

_'Let me know if I push myself too far.'_

'You got it, Vada, best of luck.' Church was practically useless without my armor, however, he can still help me strategize against my opponent. 

"Who am I facing?" I asked, cracking the knuckles of my scarred hands. Felix walked out in front of me, clad in a muscle shirt and shorts.  _Fuck he's hot..._

'Grey, please, for the love of God, I'm trying not to get those images. Focus on whooping his ass.'

"Me, sweetheart." His upper lip curled. "If you're as good as you say you are, then this shall be a good fight." 

"Ground rules," His partner, still clad in armor but with the helmet back on, stepped in between us. "You either must pin your opponent to the floor for 3 seconds, they can't get up after 3 seconds, or they yell 'Uncle'. No groin or throat shots, and please don't actually break each other." I heard his eyes roll with the last one.

"Understood," Both of us said in unison as we took our sparring positions on the floor. 

"And...fight!" The armored man removed himself from the fight as Felix came flying forward with punches. I swiftly dodged, ducking underneath his arms and popped out behind him. Church started spitting information at me. 

'Go for his torso on your right hand side. He has a recent wound there.' 

I bounced forward, letting Felix charge in again. I dodged once more, than giving a good kick to his torso. 

"FUCK," He grunted, hunched over. I kept my arms up in a defensive position as I rested on my heels for a moment. 'Reserve energy, good Grey.' "You're going to regret that..." He snarled as he rushed forward. I stepped out of the way from the attack as I heard the trainees snicker at Felix. "SHUT UP." He yelled, his face turning red.  _'Shit, is he embarrassed I'm kicking his ass right now?'_

'Who cares, HIT HIM AGAIN!' Church was getting  _way_ too excited for this. 

I did a sweep kick, missing him by an inch as I felt a swift kick to my jaw. The trainees reacted as I flew onto my back, Church assessing the damage in my head. 'Nothing's broken, you're good...Grey?' 

I stumbled back to my feet, my jaw aching and I grunted.  _Fuck, it's so different without armor..._ I hid the tear in my eye as I brought my guard back up. 

"That's what you get for messing with me." Felix was unusually more violent than before.  _Does he think this is...personal?_

"Felix, I'm just trying to show my strength, I don't actually want to hurt-" My sentence got cut off by a crescent kick to my face. I stepped back and blocked the kick and ran to the other side of the ring.  _'This is bad, Church, what do I do?'_

'Win.' 

I rolled my eyes as Felix came at me once more. I tried to push him back with a kick but he easily picked me up and hurled me over his shoulder. I landed flat on my back, going dizzy for a moment. 

'Grey, get up, you're not hurt, come on!' Church encouraged with frustration. I propped myself up onto my elbows as I saw Felix slowly come towards me. He snickered, and I hopped to my feet. 

"Oh shit..." I held my head, trying to shake away the dizziness. 

"Give up." Felix said bluntly. 

"Fuck no." I retaliated and, going against all of my years in training, charged his torso and pushed him into the ground. I mounted him, one fist ready to bash his skull in. Church snickered in the back of my head, causing me to lose focus for a split second. 

WHAM! I flew back and off of Felix, my nose in instant pain. 

'Nose is bleeding, Grey. Stop. Fighting.' I heard Church's diagnosis as I sauntered to my feet, refusing to give up. 'Grey come on, you need to stop.'

"I'm nod...gonna quit..." I spoke through the bloody nose and wiped it with my arm. 

"Oh, I guess I'll force you to." Felix's cockiness came out as he performed evasive maneuvers to throw me off my game. It worked. I was not focused. 

CRACK! I fell back once more and this time, I couldn't get up. 

'Nose is broken, Grey. STAY. DOWN.' Church demanded. 

I sat up, coughing, not being able to breathe right. 

"Un...uncle..." I choked out while coughing. My vision was blurred from tears and dizziness. Felix flexed his arms and walked out of my line of sight. 

"We need a medic to the training room floor," His green partner spoke from behind as he came into view, peering down at me. "Broken nose to be assumed." 

I felt my head hit the ground and I passed out. 

 

* * *

 

 

I came to on an infirmary bed, a ball of white fluff surrounding my nose. 

"Fug." I croaked, my clogged nose making speaking sound less professional. I squeezed my eyes shut and sat up, rubbing my temples. 

_'Church, vitals.'_

'Just a broken nose, everything else is fine. You did good for not being in armor.' 

_'Yeah but I'm trying to get a job. I nearly had him until you started snickering.'_

'I'm sorry, k? I'll take the blame on that one.' I rolled my eyes as the door to the small room opened, Felix accompanied by a nurse. The nurse, clad in white and purple armor, rushed ahead of Felix to check my vitals. 

"Everything seems to be going well! How's the nose?" 

"Fine." I cleared my throat as she gently touched it after removing the gauze. 

"Wonderful! Your nose will be back to normal in a few hours. Gotta love modern technology!~" She squealed as she applied new swatches of gauze, but less than the amount from before. She hurried off before I could croak out a 'thank you'. Felix stood still in the room as the door shut behind him. 

"I'm sorry." Were his first words as he took a few steps forward. "My anger comes out in fights. That's why they don't let me spar the rookies." He snickered under his breath. 

"But...why me?" 

"Because I'm the best they have." He flaunted, coming closer. "Locus wanted to see you fight, and so he did. You put up a good fight though, not many people can last that long against me." Felix offered a brilliant smile. "I'd feel victorious if I were you." 

"But...the job-"

"You're gonna get it, don't worry. We've been understaff for  _months_ and no one has been wanting to be interviewed. You showed up and I took the opportunity." Felix flashed another smile while leaning over my cot. "You have nothing to worry about." His voice dropped to a whisper as his hand rested on top of mine. It was with care; delicate, as he traced some old fight scars with his thumb. "I bet you're good at other thi-" The door whooshed open as Locus appeared. 

"Out." He ordered to Felix. Felix slouched his shoulders, winked at me and then turned to walk out. Locus approached with heavy footsteps. "I heard you will be back on your feet soon." 

"Um...yeah uh, nurse said-"

"I know what Dr. Grey said." He interrupted. I could feel his intense stare over me as we stood in silence. 

"So...what's the verdict?" I asked. Locus stood for what felt like minutes before answering. 

"Congratulations. You're hired."


End file.
